


Snapshot

by Tadpole4176



Series: Snapshot [1]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, M/M, Protective Erik, protective Charles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-20
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-13 22:32:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3398618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tadpole4176/pseuds/Tadpole4176
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Charles and Erik seek out a mutant student his powers accidentally catch them (and him) by surprise, leaving the two older mutants not quite as they started out, and potentially running from Sebastian Shaw...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It couldn’t have been more than a few weeks since he left Oxford, but Charles felt the pull of the university as soon as they entered the grounds. A different university, on a different continent in fact, but it still called to him. He wondered, briefly, if he’d made the wrong decision, following Moira to the CIA and now, collecting mutants and fighting Sebastian Shaw.

He glanced at the man beside him. No, he didn’t wonder, he was exactly where he needed to be; discovering a species, with Erik.

Erik glanced back at him, as though he was the telepath, hearing Charles’ thoughts, rather than the other way round, his eyebrow raised. “Missing home, Charles?”

“There are certain temptations,” smiled Charles, waving his arm to encompass the green campus before them. Students were milling about everywhere, some moving with purpose, some standing around chatting, and there was a low hum of peaceful noise that Charles could hear both with his ears and in his head. It felt very comfortable.

“I wonder how many mutants there are on campus,” speculated Erik. “It seems unlikely there’s only the one you saw in Cerebro.”

“That’s true, I suspect I was probably homing in on the stronger mutants, my friend, although there probably aren’t so many just yet. After all, so few of us had met any others before we encountered the CIA.”

“How’s your homing now, Charles, can you detect the mutant we’re looking for?” Erik’s head turned again, taking in their surroundings, quite possibly looking for threats, although quite where he expected to find them was anyone’s guess. Then again, Erik could probably find threats anywhere.

Charles raised his fingers to his temple and concentrated, sifting through the minds around him quickly until he, finally, detected a fellow mutant. “He’s in his dorm room, this way,” Charles gestured to their left, between a pair of department buildings – the business school and chemistry, he noticed – then down a leafy path towards some dorms.

The building, when they found it, was a basic, two-storey, red brick dorm room, windows stretching out down each side like a giant brick train had been parked in someone’s garden. If anything, their surroundings were even more busy than in the central university, but yet there was a different atmosphere to it, probably more people thinking about breakfast than thinking about their studies, Charles surmised, without looking too closely.

“These people eat a lot of tinned food,” commented Erik quietly, beside him, making Charles almost want to giggle.

“You’re looking through their cupboards?”

Erik shrugged.

“Were you checking for hidden weapons? This is a university you know, not prison.”

Erik raised an eyebrow. “I think prison’s on our itinerary for later. Surely you don’t think that because these kids are educated they’re incapable of violence?”

Charles smiled, more in fond familiarity and an appreciation of Erik’s power than anything else, ignoring the jibe. As paranoid as he thought his friend was, it was still quite something to know that he could feel all the metal in all those cupboards, just from here. And, of course, that if he felt like it he could manipulate it. Come to think of it, maybe Erik wasn’t looking for weapons as much as looking for resources to make weapons should they get into trouble.

“It’s fine, my friend, I’m quite confident this fellow isn’t going to attack us,” Charles reassured Erik, patting him on the arm as he did so. “This way.”

Charles entered the building, motioning to Erik to follow him, and quickly made his way to the stairwell. Whilst there was no particular security in the dorm building, other than the simple lock that Erik had quietly dealt with, Charles was well aware that the two of them didn’t exactly blend in. Feeling a student approach the stairs, he quickly raised his fingers to his temple once more, checking that the student thought nothing of their presence. Behind him, he could feel Erik’s approval at the caution.

The student walked by unmolested, apparently completely unaware of the two strangers, without any need for psychic nudging.

“I think she was still mostly asleep,” whispered Charles.

“Convenient,” muttered Erik, “let’s hope the rest are as accommodating.”

Charles nodded, reaching the upper level and opening the door into a long corridor before sticking his head through, cautiously. Each side of the corridor was filled with rows of plain wooden doors, some of them decorated with paper notices, further than he could see, and the carpet was a worn, pink colour that had surely been cheaper because no one else had wanted it. The whole place exuded a musty, sweaty smell, but despite a low hum of activity, there was no one to be seen on the corridor itself. “All clear.” He turned to Erik, “Ready?”

Erik nodded, sliding through the door silently after Charles. “Which door?”

Charles concentrated briefly, “Third on the left,” he nodded towards the, unadorned, door in question.

Erik took the lead, quickly reaching the door in long strides, then rapping smartly on it, barely giving the occupant time to respond before opening the door and entering.

“Hello, Colin.” Charles stepped out from a not-entirely-friendly-looking Erik and gave the startled student his warmest and most welcoming smile. “I’m Professor Charles Xavier, and this is my associate, Erik Lehnsherr, we’ve come to talk to you about your, err, mutation.”

“Ma mutation?” Colin, who was apparently reading a hefty biology textbook whilst half lying in bed, glanced over to the other, unoccupied, bed. “Lucky he no here, man!”

Erik and Charles looked at each other.

“Pardon?” said Charles.

“Sorry, been chatting to me mam, Geordie,” Colin shrugged, adding, “from Newcastle in England, I’m an exchange student,” when the two men continued to look at him quizzically. “Me roommate, he’s not so keen on the weirdos, like. He struggles a bit just living with a foreigner,” he explained, more slowly. “How do you guys know, if I managed to keep it from him?”

<Calm, Erik, we’re not here to revenge all slights against mutants.> Charles sent to his friend, taking hold of his lower arm as he did so, re-affirming the need for calm.

Then, turning back to Colin, Charles sent, <We’re mutants too, my friend.>

<A demonstration, perhaps, Erik?>

Beside Colin, a set of keys, a watch and a wallet all slowly began to rise from their table and float in a lazy circle above his head.

“Wow,” whispered Colin, “you guys are a little scary, you know.”

Charles smiled again, his hands out in as unthreatening a manner as possible, as he stepped slightly in front of Erik. Erik couldn’t look unthreatening if he tried, and he wasn’t often keen to try.

“Only sometimes,” said Charles. “What’s your mutation, Colin? Can you show us?”

“That I can, mate,” grinned Colin, closing his eyes and waving his right hand round in a careful, anti-clockwise circle.

Erik, still standing behind Charles, took hold of Charles’ shoulder and pulled him back slightly, even as the smaller man made to move forwards, towards their newest encounter, as his curiosity got the better of him. “Hold on, Charles, wait and see what it is first,” he whispered, watching the young man before them as he continued to concentrate.

For 30 seconds or more, the three of them remained perfectly still, the only noises within the room made by a quietly ticking clock and three heartbeats trying not to worry. Outside, students continued to go about their daily business, the noises of breakfast and rushing to lectures continuing as though nothing was happening. Somehow it seemed unfairly ordinary when it felt to Charles that they were touching the tip of something amazing inside this tiny room. What was it this mutant could do?

Suddenly, Colin paled. “It didnae work! But it’s never….” The young man glanced up at his personal belongings, still slowly circling above his head. “Oh no!”

“What?” asked Charles, gently. “Can we help? What were you expecting to happen? I couldn’t get a lock on your talent before we came, so…”

“It’s gone wrong, you’ve got to get out of here! Quickly!” Colin, suddenly not at all intimidated, but quite keen to get them out, leapt off the bed and grabbed both Erik and Charles solidly by the arm, opening the door and shoving them through it before even Charles could think of anything else to say.

“That went well,” commented Erik, dryly. “Any explanations you can pick up on?”

Charles frowned. “I don’t think he knows what happened exactly, normally he can shift time a few minutes, I think. He was expecting us to be outside the room again, and when we weren’t he was a little agitated, but I can’t pick up on the source.”

“A little agitated? You have a talent for understatement, Charles.”

“Coffee?” suggested Charles. “I think he might need a little time.”

                                                                                ___________

Morning filtered in, again, through the feeble curtains of their shared hotel room, gradually bringing its occupants around. Even Erik, in light of their excursion yesterday, had agreed that there was no need to be up early. Nonetheless, as the sunlight began to light their room in earnest, Erik was the first to stir.

Unsure of the time, Erik opened his eyes and levitated his watch from the bedside table, 10am, impressively late. Sliding his watch onto his wrist, he glanced over at the other bed, noting the small mound in the bed, and the mop of brown hair, both begrudgingly impressed and astonished that Charles was still peacefully sleeping so late in the day, even if the man was used to working student hours.

As Erik debated the merits of waking Charles and getting on with their return trip to the university, or indulging his friend in a little extra sleep after a few difficult days on the road, a thud on the floor caught his attention.

At first, he looked round the room, checking for intruders, then satisfied that no one had silently entered the room, he turned back to Charles, wondering if he’d somehow managed to fall out of bed.

Then his power alerted him to a presence on the floor. A familiar loop of metal.

His watch.

That he’d just fastened on his arm.

Reaching for the watch with his powers, Erik went to put it back on again, this time paying attention as his hand slid easily through the ring of metal without him actually unfastening it at all.

“Oh.” That was really not usual.

Erik felt his face, worriedly, noticing a distinct lack of morning stubble.

“Charles?” Jumping out of bed, trying to ignoring the increasing disquiet in the pit of his stomach as he noted the strangeness of his landing and the odd squeakiness to his voice, Erik grabbed the covers of his friend’s bed and took a look at the figure lying beneath it.

“Charles!”

Whatever had happened, it wasn’t only Erik who had a problem.


	2. Chapter 2

“Erik?” Charles groaned as he came round. “Would you mind thinking a little quieter?”

“Charles,” Erik glared at him, despite the circumstances, “we have more pressing concerns.”

“Like, wha….. oh,” said Charles, as he finally focused on Erik, unconsciously mimicking the other man’s response.

Or the other boy’s response, in fact.

“I see we found Colin’s power,” smiled Charles, ruefully. “Do you think it’ll wear off?” He looked down at his hands, for the moment apparently more excited than alarmed, flexing his fingers and prodding his face.

It’d better, thought Erik darkly, and obviously much too loudly again, as he saw Charles wince.

“Right, yes, probably not really something we can keep,” Charles conceded, giggling slightly nonetheless in a kind of giddy hysteria and looking back up at his friend.

“Charles,” warned Erik, sternly, motioning for the other man/boy to get off the bed.

Gratified by how quickly Charles slid off the bed to join him, Erik took a moment to stare at his friend as he finally straightened up to reveal his full height, or lack of it. Where ordinarily Charles would be noticeably shorter than Erik, now Erik seemed to positively dwarf him. Hmmm.

“Mirror,” they said in unison, Charles releasing yet another slightly hysterical giggle as they dashed through the door to the little bathroom side by side, sliding through easily to greet the pale, standard hotel bathroom, with its white tiles, and white tub, and gleaming white sink.

And, of course, a little mirror above the sink.

The little mirror turned out to be more difficult to access than either of them had anticipated. Obviously, it had been placed high above the sink with the typical adult in mind, rather than a couple of kids on their own.

“Maybe kids don’t need to brush their hair?” suggested Charles, still slightly giddy. “No shaving!” he added, gleefully.

Actually, Erik could see the top of his head quite well, which might do for combing his hair, should he feel so inclined, but he ignored the remark. What he really wanted to do was get a good look at both of them, and he couldn’t see Charles at all in the mirror. Without comment, Erik turned to his friend, grabbing him under his arms and lifting him, unexpectedly successfully given his newly shrunk muscles, producing a surprised squeak from Charles.

“Erik?”

“I’m showing you the mirror!” grunted Erik, trying to raise Charles higher.

“And I’m very grateful, but I think we’re a bit wobbly, could we not maybe just climb on the bathtub?”

“Good idea,” agreed Erik, turning so that Charles could place his feet on the side of the tub and keeping hold of him until he was steady, before clambering up himself and finally getting a clear view of the two of them.

Despite what they’d seen already, somehow seeing themselves together was a bit of a shock. There, in the mirror, stood two dark haired boys, similar enough in colouring that they might pass for brothers if they needed to, but neither of them old enough to be at high school yet.

They were really, definitely smaller.

And younger.

But not quite the same age as one another. Whatever Colin had done, it wasn’t wave a finger around and make them both 10, more like he’d wound them both back about the same number of years, leaving Erik still a little older. Admittedly, even if they’d been the same age, Erik was certain he would have been taller than Charles, but it was more than that, he was definitely still older than Charles. Physically, definitely, older, he noted again with a small amount of satisfaction, before silently taking a moment to be really glad he wasn’t younger than Charles, because as embarrassing as this was, Charles being bigger would have been horrible.

Possibly not silently enough, as he could see Charles giving him a look.

But Charles was really, really tiny, and it was playing havoc with Erik’s protective instincts.

Erik forced himself to focus. Whilst reluctant to discuss it, or – heaven forbid – say so out loud, Erik figured he was probably about 9. That made Charles about 5, although in Erik’s opinion he didn’t even look that old; where Charles would normally comfortably reach above Erik’s chin, now he was only partway up his chest.

And he sounded squeaky.

Erik swallowed back his panic. Erik didn’t panic, he never panicked, even if he really desperately didn’t want to be 9. What he could do, was concentrate on fixing Charles. Somehow, it was easier to concentrate on Charles’s situation, rather than his own - because that was much more serious, obviously.

Erik sank down on the bed next to Charles and tried to contemplate their next course of action.

Charles wanted to call Moira and Hank.

Erik vetoed that. There was no way he was letting Hank, or that human agent, see him in this state. Only as a last resort. Only if they really couldn’t solve this themselves.

Charles sighed, looking up at Erik in barely concealed exasperation, and quite possibly projecting some of it alongside. “What do you want to do, Erik?” he asked, “If you don’t think asking for help is a good idea.”

Erik raised an eyebrow, then realised that it probably wouldn’t have the same effect on his current face. “You can’t really want people to see you like this?”

Charles shrugged, and grinned shyly. “I feel a bit silly, but it’s a fascinating experience, and I know Hank would love it. Plus he’d be bound to have some good theories…”

“No, Charles. Not unless there’s no other choice,” repeated Erik, a little grumpily, something he regretted as he saw Charles’ face fall. Slightly ashamed of himself, despite knowing that Charles wasn’t really a little kid, he took hold of his friend’s tiny hand and squeezed it apologetically. “Sorry. We’re probably the best we’ve got anyway though, Charles. We’ve met the mutant already, he definitely suspected something might happen, didn’t he? We can do this, we just need a plan.”

“Always a plan, my friend?” Smiled Charles, squeezing back. “I’ve been thinking, actually,” letting go as he jumped off the rumpled bed and began to use his hands to do his talking in a slightly bizarre parody of his adult self. “Admittedly, I don’t have anything like Hank’s scientific knowledge, but judging by young Colin’s reaction, I’d say he’d used his powers reasonably regularly, and knew what he’d normally suspect of them. I wonder if perhaps our powers interfered.”

Erik stared at his friend for a moment. “Seriously, you think there was some kind of interaction with one of us?”

“I’d say so, there’s nothing to say that mutations can’t do that, there must be an infinite number of possible mutations, who’s to say that some of those won’t work in tandem, or – rather inconveniently – interfere. The question is, was it your powers, or mine?”

Erik frowned, trying to imagine the sort of reaction Charles was talking about.

“Are you quite certain we can’t call Hank? He doesn’t need to see pictures.”

Erik grimaced, but resisted, despite Charles’ scarily effective pleading look. “We can work this out.”

“I suppose if we go back to see Colin as planned, and make sure not to use powers at the same time, perhaps he’ll be able to shed some light on the subject. Possibly turn us back?”

“Agreed,” said Erik, “but first we need to know if our powers are under control. I don’t know about you, but at 9 I wasn’t exactly operating to the same standards.”

“True, we definitely don’t want to make matters worse,” nodded Charles, biting his lip worriedly. “And even if our control remains intact, it still seems very likely that we will tire more easily.”

“There’s not much we can do about that, other than try to limit our exertions,” shrugged Erik. “I have a plan for testing your control, anyway.”

“You do?” Charles looked nervous.

“I noticed a couple of kids in the room a couple of doors down, pop down and borrow some clothes off them – without their parents noticing, obviously.”

“I… what?” spluttered Charles. “That’s stealing!”

“It’s an emergency,” pointed out Erik, “neither of us is going out like this.” He waved his arm vaguely at their bodies, his own completely naked, and Charles swamped in a pyjama top with the sleeves rolled up. “Unless, of course, you want to alter the minds of everyone on the way to the store.”

Charles swallowed. “I could leave them money for the clothes,” he proposed. “And maybe ask for their least favourites.”

Erik smiled gently, amused by Charles’s consideration. If he had been the one able to get in and out without causing mayhem, money and favourites wouldn’t have featured highly. Of course, mayhem was still an option if Charles wasn’t up to it, or even quiet sneaking in after the family had left.

Poised at the door to their room, still clad only in his oversized nightshirt, and clutching $10 between two fingers, Charles looked incredibly nervous. After he wiped his hands on his clothes for the third time, Erik was considering calling the whole thing off. It wouldn’t take that long to be certain the family had gone for the day and he didn’t need to know about Charles’ control this much.

“Charles?” Erik prompted. “Are you alright?”

“I…” Charles looked up at him, proper, full-blown fear passing across his face for a moment, then vanishing as a look of concentration took over. “I can do this,” he told Erik, his attitude speaking more of deciding not to be afraid than any internal reassurance. Then, before Erik could voice his doubts and call it all off, possibly because Charles had seen the direction Erik’s thoughts were finally heading in grim realisation, Charles ran out of the room and stood with his fingers to his temple outside their neighbour’s door.

Erik held his breath, afraid to say anything for fear of interrupting Charles’ already obviously shaky thought processes and making things worse. He couldn’t believe he’d been the one who suggested this. It would’ve been so easy to get Charles to check if the room was empty then break into the room himself.

Trivial, in fact.

He prayed that the door wouldn’t open.

So, naturally, it did.

Silently, Charles vanished inside.

Wedging their own door open, just in case a rapid exit was called for, Erik crept closer to the room Charles had just vanished into, all five senses, plus his sixth metal-sense, all straining to detect anything that might tell him what was going on.

“Please be OK, Charles,” Erik whispered to the blank door.

Nothing happened.

There was no noise, no shouting, none of the metal in the room seemed to be moving unduly fast, nothing that should worry him.

Yet Erik was close to panic, if he could admit it to himself. <Answer me, Charles!> he shouted in his head. <Are you OK?>

The door sat before him, still obstinately silent.

“Charles, please,” Erik whispered again.

Finally, though not quickly enough to let Erik feel that Charles was actually doing what he asked, the door opened and Charles stumbled out, unharmed as far as Erik could tell.

Behind him, the door closed again without a word, there was every sign that Charles had been entirely successful, but after the last few minutes Erik wasn’t prepared to take any risks. Grabbing hold of his friend and lifting him into his arms, Erik shot back into their room and slammed the door behind him as fast as he possibly could, leaping back onto the edge of the bed and forcibly bringing Charles with him.

“Charles? Charles? Are you OK?”

Now sat pretty much in Erik’s lap, Charles looked up at his friend shakily. “I did it,” he managed, holding out some hideous, but considerably closer to appropriately sized, clothing.

“I can see why these weren’t their favourites,” smiled Erik, gently trying to get Charles to laugh.

“I don’t think I can do that again, Erik,” said Charles. “Their Dad, he wasn’t a bad man, but… I…”

“I know,” whispered Erik, honestly. “I’m so sorry I asked, I never even thought – I should have.” He really should. To send Charles into a situation where he was child-sized and there was a Father figure poised to be angry with him was beyond inconsiderate, given his history with his step-Father. “I shouldn’t have suggested it,” he said, firmly. “And Charles?”

“Yes?” Charles’ watery blue eyes turned back to look into Erik’s again.

“You should’ve said no, really. We could’ve found another way.”

Charles swallowed, then just barely loud enough to hear, replied, “I didn’t want to be useless.”

Oh, Charles, thought Erik. “Never.”

Leaning his head forward to rest against Charles’, Erik gently stroked circles in his friend’s back, feeling him relax as the fear and tension slowly ebbed away.


	3. Chapter 3

Charles shrugged into the last of his new clothes and debated looking into the mirror again, but thought perhaps he’d rather not know. Certainly, if Erik’s not-entirely-stifled giggles were anything to go by he shouldn’t look.

Erik, on the other hand, didn’t look so bad. Oddly, Erik didn’t even seem that small now, it was funny. Charles wondered if his mind was adapting. Maybe when he got changed back he’d be tripping over things like he’d had a major growth spurt.

Somehow, that thought made Charles giggle again.

Erik turned to him, eyebrow raised but relief projecting from the older boy’s mind.

“It’s silly,” smiled Charles.

“What is?” asked Erik, patiently.

“I was wondering if we’ll be tripping over our feet when we get turned back!”

Erik grinned back, still impressively toothy, despite his downsizing. “And I thought you were admiring my outfit, Charles.”

Charles shrugged, slightly shyly, “it doesn’t seem so bad, really, unlike…” He looked down at his own attire again, his right hand waving vaguely down his body.

“I think,” whispered Erik conspiratorially, “that it’s an advantage of looking like you’re five. Five year olds don’t, largely, have a lot of worries about how they look. Plus you’re the thirty year old who dresses like a grandpa, surely you can pull it off?”

Despite the slight on his normal dress sense, Erik’s words were strangely reassuring. Charles raised his head, finally looked Erik in the eyes properly, and straightened his shoulders. “I’m ready,” he told his friend. “To the hire car?”

“You are definitely not driving,” pointed out Erik, grabbing the keys with one hand as he grasped one of Charles’s shoulders with the other.

“Agreed,” nodded Charles easily, opening the door with only the barest flicker of a glance to check for their neighbours in the corridor.

<You’d sense them, Charles, it’s fine,> Erik reminded him, mentally, before grabbing his hand as if it was the most normal thing in the world and dragging him downstairs to find that car.

                                                                                ---------

The parking lot was mercifully empty. Not that Charles couldn’t persuade any passers by to forget what they’d seen, but he was already feeling the strain from nudging the receptionist after his little adventure earlier this morning, and welcomed not needing to do any more work. Certainly, he’d been right about his reduced stamina, much more of this and he’d be needing an afternoon nap. Not something he ever wished to discuss with Erik.

Of course, Erik would probably guess, conceded Charles, acknowledging his friend’s ability to sense these things, almost like his own brand of telepathy. For now though, Erik strode purposefully across the deserted parking lot, pulling Charles behind him so quickly Charles needed to jog. Later, Charles was definitely going to have to have words with him about that, after he’d caught his breath.

The short drive to the university was quiet but not exactly relaxing. Initially, Erik had pulled the seat forward in an attempt to reach the pedals and they’d jerked alarmingly out of the hotel’s parking and onto the, thankfully deserted, street. But, after a mile or so of Erik very nearly failing to see oncoming traffic because he was trying to reach the accelerator – which came complete with tiny Charles gasps every time someone got too close – Erik surrendered. Now that they were close to the uni and the traffic had built up a bit, Erik was sat with the car in neutral, using his powers to propel the vehicle along and only using his hands to make use of the steering wheel. It still wasn’t relaxed enough that he had attention spare for chatting, or at least, Charles wasn’t prepared to do any chatting just in case, but it was considerably smoother. Nonetheless, when Erik finally drew the car up into a parking space, Charles collapsed in relief against the passenger seat.

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t think we can just drive ourselves home like that, my friend,” observed Charles.

Erik looked annoyed for a moment, then conceded gracefully. “No, you’re right, that’s just not going to work. Anyhow, we’re not going to need to drive home like this, are we, Charles?”

“Definitely not,” smiled Charles, “not even if Hank begged me to let him get a look!”

Erik laughed lightly, then nodded his head to the doors. “Shall we?”

“Both of us?” asked Charles, “what about the power interference problem?”

Erik frowned. “You can wait in the car if you like. I’m not sending you in on your own again.”

“I’d be fine,” said Charles, raising his chin pointedly and not admitting to the slight flutter in his chest that he couldn’t decide whether to attribute to fear at the idea of going alone, or gratitude at Erik’s decision that he didn’t have to.

His friend ignored him, and Charles caught a flash of the horror Erik had felt when Charles had been in their neighbours’ room before. “I’m sure we can manage not to use our powers for ten minutes,” he commented dryly.

 “Absolutely,” agreed Charles, “away we go then.” And he set off towards Colin’s building, practically skipping. Well, Colin had been a nice enough boy, Charles was positive he’d be willing to help, surely that was enough to make any newly shrunk five year old want to skip.

It was hard to say whether Colin’s corridor had been more nerve-wracking the first time or the second. Of course, the first time they’d been unafraid to use their powers, and they’d been big, but on the other hand they’d been much more likely to get challenged. This time, Charles was pretty confident that no one would regard them as a threat, but if they did there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. Powerlessness wasn’t something he was used to.

“Erik?” whispered Charles.

His friend looked down at him. “What?”

“There’s no reason for them to stop us, is there?”

Erik smiled, although Charles caught the brief worried flicker in his thoughts in response to the question. “No, why would they?”

Charles swallowed, then dived through the door onto the now familiar corridor, not even needing to count the doors along the terrible carpet before they reached Colin’s room.

Erik knocked, loudly enough to make Charles wince and glance around.

<Do we want the whole corridor watching?> asked Charles.

<It’ll be fine, Charles. I just want to make sure he knows how I feel,> replied Erik.

Of course, groaned Charles, jumping slightly as the door opened to reveal someone other than Colin.

A very tall, very large man who was definitely not Colin. He didn’t seem to be very pleased to see them.

“Is Colin here?” asked Erik, his excessive politeness alerting Charles to Erik’s instant dislike of the man-monster, even if its target didn’t seem to have picked up on it.

“No.”

“Where might we find him then?” prodded Erik, his teeth beginning to show as his smile grew more predatory, something Charles didn’t like to mention looked significantly less terrifying on a 9 year old.

<Erik, you can’t attack him! He’s not one of Shaw’s associates.>

<Watch me, Charles. He might not be with Shaw, but he’s got to be Colin’s asshole roommate.>

Oh, thought Charles to himself, remembering Colin’s words about his bigoted roommate. That roommate. <You still can’t attack him, Erik! For a start, he’d flatten you. And he’s just a kid! A big kid.>

“I’m not his keeper,” grunted the roommate, moving to close the door even as Erik stuck his foot in the way.

Erik glanced at Charles, thinking loudly. <Colin’s not here, I can use my powers now,> loudly, before turning to the ape and adding coldly. “Then you’ll have to think harder.”

The roommate’s face began to turn almost purple with rage, his fists clenching as he – for the moment – held himself back from hitting the boy before him.

<Careful, Erik, he’s not completely averse to hitting children who’re being this obnoxious,> Charles warned his friend, reeling from the anger pouring out at them.

Erik raised an eyebrow at Charles, thinking back, <lovely.> Then he advanced on Colin’s angry roommate, the room itself leaping to Erik’s bidding as it provided him with metal to make his point heard. Crashing and wrenching noises could he heard all around them as the metal leapt from wherever it lay, posters falling from the walls as their drawing pins were removed, and even the bed slumping down to the floor as the legs responded to Erik’s call.

“Think harder,” Erik reminded the man, the metal doing what his muscles couldn’t and pushing the man back against the wall as his own rage erupted, realising what a despicable excuse for a human this man was.

Charles stepped through the door and closed it, desperately projecting calm, as much as he could manage when his own heart was racing as though he’d just run the 100m.

Amazingly, a little actual fear, a telepathic suggestion and a door closed behind them, and the man actually responded. “I don’t know where he went. He was really worried, I thought maybe he’d forgotten an assignment and slept in the library or something.”

“There now,” relaxed Erik, allowing the metal pushing the man back to relax with him. “Wasn’t that easier?”

“He doesn’t know any more,” added Charles, his fingers held to his temple. “We should go.”

Erik glanced back at the roommate, now slumped on the floor with a pile of inert pieces of metal strewn across his lap. The room itself didn’t look much better, both beds had lost their legs to Erik’s onslaught, there were screws missing everywhere, loose coins no longer remotely recognisable and even a spiral notepad had been dismembered. It looked as though Colin and his annoying roommate been the victims of a particularly malicious break in.

“Now, Erik, we’ve got to go,” Charles’ voice raised in pitch slightly, looking back worriedly at the still slumped football fan, his hand taking hold of Erik’s arm and tugging him towards the door.

Not until they were several buildings away, in a deserted little quad, did Charles let go and sink into the welcoming grass, sitting at first, but then lying down with his arms spread wide, finally allowing himself to take a breath and calm down in the soothing sunlight.

“Charles?” asked Erik, still standing next to him. “Are you OK?”

“I will be,” responded Charles, almost dreamily, “I just need a minute. Come join me – it won’t make your clothes any worse if they get dirty, and no one will think anything of a couple of kids lying in the grass on a sunny day.”

“Not even the same kids who just scared the life out of some giant sports fan?”

“He doesn’t even know who attacked him,” said Charles, matter of factly. “Of course, once Colin wasn’t there I think me just having a quick look in his mind might have been a bit less traumatic for all concerned, but all that anger was really quite hard to wade through, so a little persuasion wasn’t entirely out of order. I left him with a memory of entering the room to see that someone’d broken in. Nothing missing, just a malicious prank, God knows he’s annoyed enough people to be a target. Campus security might get tightened for a little while, I suppose, but I don’t think anyone will be terribly inconvenienced.”

“Only us,” noted Erik, dryly, tipping his head at their bodies again as he sank into the grass to sit beside Charles.

“Well, yes, I suppose so, but we’ll manage. Until we find Colin that is. Where do you think we should look? I’m guessing you don’t think the library is terribly likely either?”

“Not really,” conceded Erik. “Are you sure that idiot didn’t know any more?”

“Positive,” said Charles, waving his hands in the air as he spoke, drawing patterns even as he lay lazily in the grass. “They barely speak to each other.”

“Naturally,” grunted Erik. <Can’t blame Colin for that.>

“In that case, I’m just going to close my eyes and have a little think about it,” grinned Charles, ignoring Erik’s astonishment.

“You’re….” began Erik, watching as Charles’ eyelids slowly drifted shut. “Sweet dreams,” he whispered, almost silently, as his friend’s breathing evened out.


	4. Chapter 4

Erik knew that he was very good at patience. Sitting and waiting was something he felt he’d honed to a fine, predatory, art form. Yet sitting and waiting for Charles to have a nap somehow felt a lot like wasting time.

Obviously, he told himself as he watched yet another drove of students go past discussing whatever bar they’d been to last night, he should be finding a solution to their little problem whilst Charles slept. But so far the only thing that had occurred to him was sneaking into an office somewhere to acquire Colin’s home address and records, and whilst he could achieve that alone, it would definitely get him into a lot of unnecessary trouble.

And, of course, he’d have to leave Charles asleep on the grass alone.

So, obviously, he should wake Charles up then.

Except, no. Even as Erik lifted his hand to shake his friend, he knew he couldn’t do it. Charles was tired, most likely because of all those heads he’d messed with this morning in his – err – weakened state, he needed his rest. And, naturally, Erik needed Charles at his best, especially if they were going to need to break into something.

“You’re thinking about criminal activities again, Erik,” muttered Charles, still not rising from his position on the grass, but clearly awake enough to annoy him.

“I…” began Erik, temporarily speechless.

“There’s no need, I’ve solved the problem,” Charles informed him gleefully, leaping to his feet in a way that only children, no, only 5 year olds, could manage and grabbing Erik’s hand in order to drag him off after a small cluster of students.

“Charles.” Erik tried his most stern voice, having very little effect, other than a vaguely amused sensation tickling the edge of his awareness.

“Don’t worry, I heard two of Colin’s friends, and they’re worried about him. We just have to follow them.”

Of course, thought Erik. Eavesdropping really can be a handy skill.

                                                                                *****

The walk to try to catch Colin’s friends on their own was a long one. Even Erik, whose internal compass was particularly well honed, was struggling to maintain his sense of direction after the number of times those two seemed to meander round in circles. They’d passed business studies and chemistry again at one point, that Erik had recognised, and they’d seen a queue of people waiting to go into some sort of guest lecture about harnessing nuclear power in new ways, but none of these seemed to have enticed the students they were following away from the path. Not even the little shop selling snacks seemed to be having any sort of influence. They just seemed to want to wander.

Charles, despite his nap, seemed to sag down within minutes into that terrible trudge universal to small children when they’re tired but well aware that there is no option but to keep going.

“Do you think they’re trying to lose us?” Erik asked Charles after a full 15 minutes of silent trudging, partly just to check in, those blue eyes had been gazing intently at the floor for far too long.

“You see conspiracies everywhere, my friend,” smiled back Charles, livening up again nonetheless. “They are quite worried though, so I suppose trying to lose someone is a possibility. Really us though? I don’t think we could look less threatening if we tried.”

“We’re conspicuous,” pointed out Erik, “and Colin might have known what to look for.”

“True,” agreed Charles, “I’ll take a look.” Stopping for a moment, Charles raised his fingers to his temple in that familiar gesture and gazed in the direction of the retreating students. “No,” he chuckled, “they’re taking a walk to have a chat and to waste some time before a lecture. I think perhaps we need to interrupt them after all.”

Erik heaved a sigh of relief, more than ready to stop walking in circles. “Are you up to running?”

Charles looked slightly affronted. “Surely running is one of the advantages to being 5? Although I’m not sure it’ll be necessary at their current pace.”

Erik grinned. “No, you need to run away from me, and trip over when you get to them.”

“I don’t think we want them to be ganging up on you!”

“No, not running for your life, Charles. Chase!” Erik rolled his eyes, certain that anyone else transformed into a child would have caught onto this immediately.

“Oh… we’re playing?”

“Yes,” nodded Erik.

“Are you hoping for tears?” asked Charles warily. “I’m not too sure I can do that on demand.”

Erik surveyed him carefully, taking note of the grass stains and hair all standing on end. He looked five, and Charles-like, he couldn’t imagine any student could possibly fail to be sympathetic to him if he fell over, with or without tears. “It’ll be fine,” shrugged Erik, “I think you’ve got it covered.”

Without giving either of them any more time to think about it, Charles shot off in the direction of the two students they’d been following, half screaming in a not entirely (in Erik’s opinion) convincing impression of playful child and flailing his arms around all over the place as he terrified a small group of pigeons into the air.

He really did look five.

Erik, suddenly realising that with all the noise he couldn’t wait and chase Charles at his leisure, also broke into a, much more sedate, run, following his friend along the path. “I’m going to get you, Charles!” he yelled, trying to get into the spirit of it.

Charles, perhaps slightly startled, turned abruptly to see where Erik was and did a spectacular sideways, flying fall onto the hard pavement.

It wasn’t exactly what Erik had had in mind. “Charles!” He sped up.

Closer to Charles, exactly the right two students broke away from the little group and went over to him. The tall, lanky boy hovered undecidedly, talking worriedly to his friend, whilst the girl, who was not much taller than Erik in his current guise, knelt down at Charles’s side, obviously asking if he was OK.

Erik arrived, glancing at the remainder of the group of students as he realised that they appeared to be unnaturally stationary. Oh. “Charles! Are you OK?” Somehow the acting he’d intended to do at this juncture didn’t seem nearly as difficult as it had in his head.

“I’m OK,” groaned Charles, easing himself onto his elbows and adding, <really,> in Erik’s head.

“Are you sure?” asked the girl, quietly, her mass of curly, blonde hair almost obscuring her face as she leant down to take another look at Charles’s head.

Charles really did have a nasty scrape on the side of his head, Erik realised, confirming that the fall hadn’t exactly been as intended.

“You’re very brave,” the girl added, probably well aware that most five year olds would have been howling by now. “Are your Mom or Dad around?”

Charles shook his head slowly, quite possibly nursing something of a headache, Erik realised, then said, “I’m with my brother, Erik.”

The boy, who until now hadn’t spoken, cleared his throat. “We should clean that up, Charles. Len’s room’s not too far from here, we can go there.” Then, without waiting for either Charles or Erik to agree, bent down and picked Charles up as though he was a baby.

“Come on, Erik,” the girl, Len, said to him, “he’ll be OK. Why are you playing on campus, anyway?” she added, smiling at him. “Usually there aren’t too many kids here.”

Erik paused, unsure of himself, until Charles practically yelled, <go for it!> in his head. “We were looking for our friend Colin, but he wasn’t there, we just got his roommate.”

Len looked surprised. “Colin?” she repeated. “Funny accent?”

“Definitely,” agreed Erik. “Do you know him?”

“We’ve been rescuing him too,” she said, “he wasn’t feeling so good last night. I guess that’s why you missed him.”

“He stayed with you?” asked Erik, surprised.

Len coughed. “No! He stayed with Chris!” She nodded to the ridiculously tall boy, now manoeuvring himself and Charles through the outer doors of a red brick dorm building and leading them onto a corridor that seemed to be an identical copy of Colin’s, complete with the decorated doors and terrible pink carpet.

“Is it possible I could speak to him?” asked Erik, wishing that he could pull off Charles’s endearing and cute, but stuck with being a bit too tall for that, especially next to Len, and awkward.

Len smiled again. “Why not. Maybe Chris could take you to pop over and see him while I clean Charles up?” She glanced up at her silent friend.

Erik hesitated, reluctant to leave Charles, but well aware that it was a good opportunity. “That’d be great, thanks,” he responded, following Len’s gaze to see what Chris might have to say about this.

Chris didn’t say much, but Charles said, <He’s fine with it, and I’m OK, go!>

As quickly as Chris could put Charles down at Len’s door, and turn to check that Erik was following him, they were off.

                                                                                ********

Colin seemed like an entirely different person.

Huddled in a corner of Chris’s nearly identical dorm room, his body closed in on himself like he was trying to protect it, the amiable, helpful student seemed to have been replaced by a paranoid, gibbering wreck. He even looked like he’d lost weight, despite it only being a day since they’d met. As far as Erik could see, Colin must have spent the whole time since they left panicking. Surely not about himself and Charles, though? However much he should have been.

Erik stared at him, the urge to glare at him still there, but diminished somewhat by what he imagined was Charles’ voice within him, reminding him to consider the wishes of the person before him. Erik wasn’t that bad, he was quite capable of considering someone’s feelings all by himself if he needed to, but it still felt as though it was Charles reminding him these days.

“What happened to you?” asked Erik, not gently, but with far less aggression than he’d imagined.

“Who….? Oh God,” groaned Colin, if possible withdrawing into himself even more.

<Charles?> Erik called out to his friend, certain he hadn’t gone far enough to be out of range, it wasn’t like Charles was busy. <Charles?>

<Erik! I thought we shouldn’t use our powers around Colin? Is everything OK? You’ve not woken up as a baby have you? I’m sure you’d be adorable.>

Erik glowered as he caught the laughter behind Charles’s words. <Charles, he’s falling apart!>

<Literally?>

<No, well possibly, but no, I don’t think so. Can you take a peek? Maybe calm him down a bit.>

<OK, don’t let him use his powers for a minute though,> Charles agreed.

Erik stared at Colin again, pretending he could see Charles reach out his powers into the young man’s brain and take a look around.

“What’s going on here?” asked Chris, sounding grumpy rather than merely silent. “You want him out, Col?”

Colin flushed, then replied, his hands visibly relaxing a little with what Erik could only assume was Charles’s influence. “No, I think I need to speak to him, thanks mate.”

“What happened?” repeated Erik.

“Difference of opinion with some of the guys on the corridor,” said Colin.

<His roommate found out about his mutation,> added Charles helpfully. <Then in the corridor, after he’d left the room… It wasn’t pretty, there were some pretty nasty threats, possibly a gang.>

“For moving time a few seconds?” asked Erik incredulously, ignoring, for the moment, his own predicament. <Glad we took care of that bastard then, knew I didn’t like him,> Erik added for Charles benefit.

“For being different,” whispered Colin.

<Wait, Erik, I don’t think it was the roommate who threatened him, he was probably just stupid and scared, though I suppose he might have told some of his friends. There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of people who are scared of the tiniest difference,> Erik was certain he could hear Charles sigh. <But there’s more to it this time, I see someone we don’t want to…. Hidden amongst the gang, I didn’t notice at first…> Charles’s voice came almost breathlessly through their connection. <It could be her!>

<Don’t panic, Charles! Who?>

<Shaw’s telepath!>

Oh. Erik swallowed hard, stepping back to lean against the door, suddenly all too aware of his physical stature. “Colin, you’re welcome to come with us if you want, but do you think you can turn Charles and I back to our usual, err..” Erik waved his hands around vaguely, struggling to think of a word that might cover this. “We’d quite like to get back to our normal sizes,” he finished, glancing at Chris to see if he was going to be a problem.

Chris raised an eyebrow at Colin, but otherwise gave no indication he’d even heard.

“I don’t know how to,” said Colin. “My power usually just takes us back in time a little bit, like everyone nearby hops back to a snapshot of a few minutes ago. The ones of us who remember can change things a little bit, good for little mistakes.” Colin shrugged. “This has never happened before.”

Erik frowned. “But you knew it’d gone wrong.”

“Yes,” Colin nodded, “we didn’t go back, and I could feel something different around us.”

Charles’s power interference, Erik suspected, still wondering which of them had triggered it. “If I used my powers, would that help?” he asked.

“I really don’t know,” replied Colin, apologetically. “I’m not sure I ever want to use my powers again if this is the result.” He waved at the room that wasn’t his, including Erik within it. “I can’t make it worse.”

“I’m stuck like this?” Erik tried very hard to reign in his anger, but a fear of seeing Shaw whilst in this body was bubbling up from his stomach, and it was impossible to keep it all in.

“Hey!” Chris finally interceded. “He told you he couldn’t fix it, kid.”

“I am not a kid!” growled Erik, far less concerned with upsetting the human.

<Calm down, Erik. We’ll find a way,> soothed Charles. <If Shaw’s telepath is around and Colin doesn’t have an answer, we probably shouldn’t hang around here though, my friend. Perhaps time to be on the move?>

“You’re sure you can’t fix this?” asked Erik one last time.

“Sorry,” said Colin, weakly.

<He’s telling the truth,> added Charles. <Give him the card, I’ll warn him about the woman, let’s go!>


	5. Chapter 5

It was with no small amount of relief – or exhaustion – that Charles clambered onto his bunk, sinking into the thin mattress to watch as Erik used his powers to lock the door to the compartment and, Charles suspected, fuse the door shut. They were on the train, finally, and safe. It had been a long few hours.

Somehow, way back after leaving Colin and his friends, when they’d decided that driving back to the others wasn’t realistic, and opted for train rather than plane, it had all sounded simple. Trains need tickets, certainly, but they had money and trains didn’t need ID or accompanying adults. Mostly they didn’t need accompanying adults, Charles added ruefully in hindsight, there had been a mind or two that had needed to be given the impression of someone with them, and he’d had to manage without being forced to get an extra bunk for a ghost. Still, they’d made it to the train, their hire car was back in its rightful place - with a little help from a friendly passerby - and Charles couldn’t detect any sign of Shaw or his telepath.

As soon as the train started moving, they’d be fine.

Erik, of course, had gone into fastidiousness overdrive and had been checking everything at least three times, not to mention continually either fussing over Charles or making sure that Charles was looking out for the other telepath. Even now, locked firmly in an entirely anonymous train compartment with the curtains all drawn, Charles could feel Erik’s thoughts flitting from fixture to furniture, feeling for metal and checking for anything that shouldn’t be there. Charles wasn’t too sure what he was looking for, but decided that it was probably best not to ask. Surely, Erik would relax a little once the train was moving.

Outside a whistle sounded, making Charles jump slightly and causing Erik to turn to check on him again, then, finally, the train began to move.

“She could get on at a different station,” said Erik, “we’ll need to keep watch.”

“She won’t,” replied Charles gently, holding his small hand out to Erik to pull his friend down next to him. “She might have been here, but she didn’t see us, I’d know. She won’t have any idea to look at the next station.”

Erik nodded, grudgingly. “I can keep watch,” he suggested, his thoughts noting Charles’s tired features even as Charles suppressed a yawn.

“What will you watch for, Erik? There’s nothing to see,” pushed Charles. “You need sleep too, you can’t stay up for days on end like that.”

“I’ve done worse, even as a child,” pointed out Erik.

“I’m sure you have,” conceded Charles, sorry to even think about it, “but you don’t have to now, my friend. You should sleep.”

Erik’s expression barely changed, but Charles caught the acquiescence in his friend’s mind nonetheless, he was exhausted too.

“Do you want the top or the bottom?” asked Charles, perfectly willing to give his friend whatever he wanted.

“Bottom,” said Erik firmly, his need to protect Charles silently shouted between them.

Charles didn’t comment. Without a word, he grabbed his usual pyjama top, replacing the terrible child sized clothes with it, before raising an expectant pair of eyebrows at Erik. “Help me up?”

Erik complied, giving him a weak smile as he did so, then gave the tiny compartment one last check and stripping off to collapse into his own bunk, the lights switching off as he did so.

“Goodnight, Erik,” called Charles, sleepily.

“Goodnight, Charles.”

Within minutes both of them were asleep.

                                                                                ***********

Charles awoke with a start.

His first thought was to reach for his watch, wondering what the time was, but a glance at his wrist reminded him that his wrist and watch no longer fit together properly, and a further glance at the floor below suggested that climbing down just to look at the time would be ridiculous. Still, it was dark outside, he could tell, so not time to get up.

He relaxed against his pillow again, taking a moment to check the minds of the, largely, sleeping passengers for any signs of Shaw’s telepath. Erik would be proud, he thought, smiling a little to himself.

All quiet. As far as he could tell there wasn’t a single mutant on the train, other than the two of them.

A moan brought him back to the compartment. “Oh, Erik,” whispered Charles to himself.

Charles gently touched his awareness back against his friend, not mind reading as such, just getting a feeling for what was going on there. Jerking back away again, almost physically, Charles admitted to himself that even looking hadn’t been the best plan. He’d known what he was likely to find, after all. Nonetheless, nightmares shouldn’t be suffered through alone.

Charles carefully, if precariously, reversed off the bed, his feet barely finding purchase on Erik’s bunk before too much of his weight was off his own bunk to hold himself up. Still, he made it down, and nothing was broken, the thought made his hand reach for his earlier injury, feeling the plaster that Len had stuck to the side of his temple. He should remove it, but now wasn’t the time.

Safely on the floor, Charles took a look at his watch.

3:06am.

Well worth going back to sleep then.

Erik groaned again.

Charles knelt by his friend’s bed, his hand going to his hair to stroke it back, and whispering quietly reassuring words against his friend’s ear. Erik’s thoughts calmed, but he didn’t wake up, instead following Charles’ nudge towards happier dreams. Charles sighed, relieved but uncertain, looking back up at the unreachable bunk above him, then shrugging his shoulders philosophically, he lifted the covers and climbed into Erik’s bunk with him, carefully slotting himself under Erik’s arm and holding on across his chest. Surely Erik wouldn’t mind, it was that or find himself woken up by Charles failing to climb back into bed, after all, Charles reasoned. Plus he could take care of any further nightmares this way, of course.

Very quickly, Charles drifted back to sleep.

                                                                                ***********

Erik woke abruptly, his whole body tensing as he mentally checked through his surroundings, his metal awareness carefully wandering around the small compartment checking for anything untoward, only relaxing when he’d confirmed that the train was still moving, the door was still firmly locked and Charles was safe and asleep against him.

Wait?

Charles hadn’t gone to sleep there.

Erik looked down at the tousled mass of brown hair resting on his shoulder, wondering for a moment how Charles had ended up in his bunk. It was a good job they hadn’t transformed back into adults during the night! Erik grinned at the thought, as much as he wanted to be full size again, if that had happened they would almost certainly have ended up on the floor. These bunks weren’t exactly designed for sharing. Levitating his watch so that he could get a look at the time without disturbing Charles, Erik laid back to wait for Charles to wake up, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth and comfort on offer.

6.58am

Not too late. The train wasn’t due to arrive for another few hours, and Erik wasn’t sure he really wanted to leave the safety of their little compartment. If there was someone they didn’t want to see on the train, then leaving their little haven would make them far easier to discover.

Having said that, he did need to go to the bathroom quite urgently.

And his stomach was rumbling.

Erik took a moment to curse his shrunken body for its lack of patience, then slowly tried to remove his arm from beneath Charles.

Charles, naturally, rolled over in his sleep and clung on even tighter.

“Always perverse, my friend,” whispered Erik gently, tugging again until his arm and shoulder were free, and carefully moving Charles’ head to the pillow. It was no easy task, but after several minutes Erik found himself safely on stood on the floor and fully clothed, with Charles still sleeping soundly in the bottom bunk.

Of course, if he wanted to go, he was going to have to leave Charles here. Alone.

Erik paused, indecisive.

A moan sounded from the well used bottom bunk, shortly accompanied by Charles sitting up in bed, his hair sticking up in all directions and his eyes still mostly closed.

“Erik? Are you OK?” he asked. “You’re thinking very loudly again.”

 “I’m fine,” responded Erik, moving back to the bunk to sit beside his friend. “Bathroom,” he added.

“Ah, good idea, wait for me.” Charles half fell, half rolled onto the floor, only bothering to find his feet once he was fully on solid ground, though in his half awake state the motion of the train clearly wasn’t helping.

Finally, on both feet, Charles looked up at Erik. “Ready.”

Erik raised his eyebrows. “You might want to get dressed.”

“Right.” Charles looked round, trying to remember where he’d tossed his hideous child clothes, only finding them when Erik took pity on him and threw them at him.

He shrugged into them. “I haven’t grown,” he commented, critically.

“You expected to?” Erik hadn’t even considered it, he’d rather assumed he’d be either small or full size.

“I wondered if maybe we’d snap back gradually. Like growing, but much accelerated over normal children.”

“We could be growing back at normal rate,” observed Erik.

“True, but if that’s the case we’ve got a whole heap of other problems to think about that I’m not ready to consider yet.”

Optimist, Erik thought at Charles, still smirking slightly despite himself, understanding deep down that dwelling on potentially getting stuck wasn’t going to help him.

Charles smiled, reaching out a hand to grab Erik’s as though it was the most natural thing in the world. “Any chance you’re letting us out of here? Don’t think I didn’t notice what you and your powers got up to with the door last night, my friend.”

Erik grinned back, acknowledging his – entirely justifiable - paranoia. “You can talk, how did you end up in my bunk, Charles?”

Charles flushed. “I couldn’t get back up,” he mumbled. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”

Laughing aloud, Erik slung his arm round Charles. “It’s fine, little brother!” Making Charles glare at him half-heartedly.

“If we don’t change back before we get home, I’m going to have to put up with a whole lot of that from Raven, aren’t I?”

“Definitely, Charles. And I haven’t even begun to tell you how cute you are like this yet.”

“I’m not alone, Erik.” Charles reminded his friend, playfully.

“Oh, but I think this time you are,” responded Erik straightening to exaggerate their height difference before finally opening the door and, after a brief check of the corridor, dragging Charles out behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

The train was full of doors. Of course it was, Erik had been on trains before. But he’d never been on a train whilst worrying that he was being chased by his most feared enemy with his powers not at their best, nor had he ever been worried about protecting his closest friend. Or, in fact, any friend.

Erik was not used to being even potentially hunted, and at this moment the doors all felt as though they could contain Shaw.

Or possibly his telepath, since they hadn’t even seen Shaw.

“Erik?” whispered Charles. “Are you OK?”

“Fine,” ground out Erik.

“I promise I’ll tell you if any of the people sound alarming,” offered Charles, obviously either picking up surface thoughts or getting very good at guessing his thought processes – either was possible at this point.

“You would happily make friends with a tiger.” Erik felt it was important to point out that Charles was not always the most reliable detector of danger.

Charles looked hurt, and annoyingly Erik couldn’t tell whether he was faking or not, it was very convincing. “I have never befriended a tiger, my friend,” he objected firmly, though even that could simply be out of habit, shrinking him had done nothing to reduce his need to quibble every little point.

“Raven?” suggested Erik, grinning at Charles in the hope that he would stop looking like Erik had just kicked him. “Definitely a bit of a tiger.”

Charles huffed, Erik suspected he’d quite like to stamp his foot, though he didn’t. “Not a dangerous one!” Charles objected.

Erik raised an eyebrow, “I think that remains to be seen.” He pushed his way through the door at the end of the car, and finally into the buffet car, with a sigh of relief. “Come on, let’s see if we can’t find some breakfast.”

Breakfast brought no sign of Shaw or anyone associated with him, and Erik began to think that perhaps he could relax a little, or at least, he would have relaxed if the train’s staff could have just minded their own business for a little while and let he and Charles eat in peace. Apparently, turning up for breakfast without your fictional guardian wasn’t done. Charles had to convince no less than 4 separate members of the train’s staff that everything was fine before Erik decided that enough was enough and, grabbing the most portable remains of their breakfast and stuffing them in his pockets, he ushered Charles out of the buffet car and back to the safety of their own little compartment. At least on the way back he didn’t feel as though all of the doors were about to open and initiate disaster. Nonetheless, the repeated harassment didn’t do Erik’s mood any good, and when they did finally get back to the compartment he slammed and very thoroughly locked the little door the instant Charles had followed him through it.

Charles stood before the still shaking wall with his hands on his hips, tiny mouth pursed, daring him to carry on like that.

“Sorry,” muttered Erik, sinking onto the bed and placing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

“Erik?” said Charles, creeping up to his friend and standing before him, putting his fingers under Erik’s chin to lift his head. “It’ll be fine.”

Erik fought to resist glaring at him, frustrated that dealing with ridiculous questions seemed to fall entirely on Charles, forcing him to be constantly protecting them both, and then finally to feel like he needed to reassure Erik because Erik was grumpy about it.

“I hate being small,” grumbled Erik.

Charles, even more annoyingly, laughed. “Perhaps I’m more used to it,” he replied, a twinkle in his eye daring Erik to comment on his adult stature.

“Obviously.” But Erik knew he couldn’t simply sit around sulking, and he certainly didn’t want to alienate Charles, so he followed it with a whispered, “Sorry.” And a hand reaching out to pat Charles’s shoulder gently. “You’re right, we’ll be fine. There’s no sign of Shaw’s telepath on this train, and all we have to do is get to a phone in Richmond and get Moira or Hank or someone to pick us up.”

And, of course, bear with being a laughing stock for the entire CIA. Erik thought perhaps he wouldn’t mention that, although there was a good chance that he’d mistakenly yelled it in his head, given the angle of Charles’s eyebrows as they continued to observe him with concern.

Perhaps the best thing to do would be to go back to sleep. Start the day again later, hopefully in a better mood.

As Erik swung his legs round and lay comfortably on top of the blankets, Charles continued to watch him carefully, making no move to turn away or comment. Finally, Erik shrugged at him, holding a hand out to invite Charles to join him again, though now that Erik was aware of it, Charles seemed distinctly skittish.

“You could help me up there?” suggested Charles, his fingers gesturing at his own upper bunk.

“We’re only having a nap,” said Erik, reluctant to let Charles get away from him now that they’d discovered how easily a bunk could be shared. “And it’s not like you need the space.”

“What about our stop?” Charles glanced out of the window, the curtains now drawn back from it to reveal an endless stream of green countryside dotted very occasionally with houses. “We don’t want to miss it.”

“An alarm,” said Erik, “I set it last night, and I haven’t turned it off.”

“Oh, OK,” agreed Charles, still looking a bit timid. “I am still a bit tired.”

Finally, to Erik’s inexplicable relief, Charles climbed onto Erik’s bunk and nestled into his shoulder, just as he had done the previous night. Even as Charles still fidgeted about getting comfortable, Erik could feel himself relaxing, knowing that his friend was definitely right there. By the time Charles dozed off, Erik’s annoyance had faded to a tiny, insignificant background hum, as though he’d been siphoning optimism from Charles’s never ending supply.

Scarcely two hours later, the little alarm went off and Erik reluctantly pulled himself and Charles into a sitting position, nudging Charles awake gently. Erik himself hadn’t slept, but just the act of relaxing and starting again had done him the world of good.

Intentionally not thinking about what arriving back at the CIA was going to be like was helping too. Briefly, as Charles stumbled to his feet behind him, Erik flirted with the idea of just renting somewhere to lay low for a bit with Charles and steering well clear until their problem was dealt with. But even if Shaw hadn’t picked up on their presence in any way, the threat was hanging there in Erik’s head and he couldn’t risk being exposed in this condition. Either of them being exposed. Shaw might have an interest in Erik, but Erik was quite certain he wouldn’t treat Charles well if he caught up with him.

The two boys quickly threw their luggage together, then Erik carried – with a little powered assistance – both cases off the train, Charles following as closely behind him as he could, his mind broadcasting a steady thrum of nervousness amongst so many people. It would be far too easy to get separated in this crush, and for all that Charles dealt well with being small, just at that moment it was clearly rather intimidating.

Erik wished that nine year olds glaring had the same effect as 6ft tall men, but no one parted to let him and Charles pass through. In the end, Erik had to use his power to hold the train doors open in order to allow Charles to squeeze out through the throng of people apparently staying on the train before the guard could shut him in to be whisked away to the train’s next destination. Charles practically threw himself off the train and into Erik’s arms as the train finally departed and they could heave a sigh of relief.

“That was close,” gasped Charles. “I’m glad I didn’t end up going on a huge detour.”

Too close, agreed Erik. “I can’t believe people wouldn’t let you through!”

Charles’s wide, blue eyes simply stared at Erik, obviously reliving the experience. “I’m really glad I made it,” he finally said.

Erik’s arm’s round Charles’s shoulders squeezed gently, lending him support for a minute even as Erik himself braced for their next challenge.

The phone.

With such a busy train just dumping so many passengers, initially there was quite a queue for the payphone, giving Erik and Charles a few moments reprieve, but no one was having a long conversation in the station, and quickly there was a free payphone ready for their use.

“Do you want to do the honours, Charles?” suggested Erik, slightly guilty for pushing this onto his friend, but confident that it would end better.

Better than Erik yelling at someone to stop laughing and come get them, most likely.

“Certainly,” agreed Charles. “Who do you think I should ask for?”

Erik frowned, it wasn’t a choice he really cared to make.

“Perhaps I should ask Raven,” said Charles eventually. “She might laugh, but she’s my sister.”

“You’ve always looked out for each other,” Erik nodded his understanding. Raven could be whatever they needed her to be on arrival too, if they started having trouble with interfering station staff again.

“Right then.” Charles dug deeply in his pocket, producing a few coins and starting to feed them to the machine. Smiling at Erik’s frown of confusion. “It might take me a minute to explain the situation, don’t you think. Don’t want her to ignore us.”

“Did she know you at this age?” asked Erik, aware that Raven was a little younger than Charles, usually.

“No,” responded Charles, “Raven arrived later. I was probably older than, err, you look. She’ll have seen pictures though, I’m sure she’ll work it out.”

Pictures, of course. Erik tried not to think about what might have happened to the few pictures of himself at this age. Then, despite the apparent opportunity, made a vow not to let anyone photograph him now. He didn’t want to remember this without being able to bring his parents back to join in, and clearly that wasn’t going to happen.

“Can I speak to Raven Darkholme, please. It’s quite urgent.” Charles spoke into the unwieldy mouth piece, obviously trying to sound older and more important.


	7. Chapter 7

Raven strolled into the station, wearing her pink cheeked face and blonde hair, her casual attitude belying her worry. Raven remembered what it was like to be small and alone, even if Charles and Erik were adults really, it had to be pretty scary.

To be honest, the station was pretty scary all by itself.

Even aside from the sheer hustle and bustle of the place, the station had that city centre, slightly misused and possibly housing some unsavoury characters feel. The once grand structure housed pigeons, graffiti and a suspicious urine smell, not to mention the array of peeling paint and slightly damaged bricks. It wasn’t somewhere she’d leave two children on their own, not even Charles and Erik, who had to be the most powerful children anyone had ever met, and hardly innocent exactly.

She needed to find them.

It was proving more difficult than she’d expected. Somehow, on the slightly petrified drive over, Raven had been expecting to walk into the station and immediately see them. Most likely because her brother was tapping an imaginary finger inside her skull, but she was prepared to admit that Charles and Erik both seemed to have a knack for attracting attention, even if Erik was also very good at avoiding it. So why wasn’t there a great big neon sign pointing at them and yelling “here we are?”

Raven didn’t like it.

Where could they be? Why hadn’t Charles heard her? Could something have happened in the time it had taken her to get here? It hadn’t sounded like Charles was worried about any sort of immediate danger.

“Raven, I could feel your paranoia from the other side of the platform,” came a small voice from somewhere near her midsection. “You’ll be giving Erik a run for his money.”

With a start, Raven looked down to see a tiny version of her brother, beaming up at her, with a larger – if not exactly large – version of Erik stood behind him, his eyes speaking volumes about Erik’s own paranoia.

“Where were you?” exclaimed Raven, unable to resist grabbing Charles and lifting him into a huge hug. “I was so worried!”

“You were?” Charles, nestled happily in her arms, and apparently not at all bothered by being picked up, leant back slightly to look her in the eye. “Sorry.” He at least had the decency to look slightly abashed. “We were trying to avoid getting asked any more questions by helpful staff, or passersby, or anyone really. We’ve been through a lot of fictional relatives in the last 24 hours, it’s fabulous to finally have a real one…”

Raven exchanged another meaningful glance with Erik, who seemed a good deal more stressed about this whole thing than Charles.

“… and I’m afraid my range might be slightly reduced at this, err, size,” added Charles.

“It suits you, little brother,” smiled Raven, intentionally thinking <cute> and <adorable> right at him, where he couldn’t possibly avoid hearing her.

Charles blushed, which did nothing to lessen the effect. “I’m quite certain you’ve always wanted to be the older sibling, Raven.”

“Got to make the most of my opportunities,” she nodded, mouthing, “everything OK?” Silently at Erik.

The older boy gave her a curt nod.

Raven got the message.

Resting Charles on one hip, a manoeuvre that, even at this size, Charles was really a bit too big for one handed, Raven reached out her other arm and wrapped it carefully round Erik’s shoulders. “Come on, kids, car’s this way,” she told them, getting more of a read for exactly how stressful the last day or so had been when Charles simply wrapped his arms round her neck and sighed, whilst Erik’s shoulders silently released some of the tension they had been carrying.

                                                                                **** 

Erik could feel himself relaxing more and more as Raven drove them further away from the station, resting in the back seat as Charles and Raven caught up with the last few days in the front. There had apparently been no real threat, or if there had they’d long since escaped it, but being small and feeling responsible for Charles had been perhaps one of his most frightening experiences for years, beyond any of his encounters whilst hunting down Shaw, or even his failed confrontation with Shaw himself. Nothing like this.

Of course, there was more to come, Erik didn’t imagine that getting back to their friends at the CIA was going to be a picnic exactly, but not frightening. More - annoying. Annoying Erik could handle, and for all his previous protests about it, he reminded himself that at the CIA he would be significantly less vulnerable.

As would Charles, obviously.

Still, as the buildings that had been their home and base for the last few weeks loomed up before them, Erik couldn’t help but tense up again at the prospect of walking inside. Apparently he’d been sharing some of those emotions too, as Charles’ voice piped up in his head.

<You OK, my friend? Ready to face the enemy?>

<I’m fine, Charles,> responded Erik, <I’ve seen worse.>

<Of course,> agreed Charles hastily, <I could try to project grown up Erik while we go through the corridors if you like?>

Erik smiled, despite himself. <If you did that, we’d be carrying you before we were halfway through the building.>

<I’m told I don’t weigh much these days.>

“Are you two planning on getting out of the car anytime soon?” asked Raven, opening Charles’s door from the outside and peering around him to look at Erik in the back.

“We’re working up to it,” answered Charles, nonetheless sliding from the car to stand at his sister’s side, taking her now blue hand as he glanced up at her.

Raven raised her eyebrows at him, but didn’t comment, instead turning back to see if Erik had finally emerged.

Erik took up position at Charles’s other side, holding out his hand as well in a gesture of solidarity.

“Together,” he told Charles.

“Together,” his friend agreed, before allowing Raven to tug them towards the building’s entrance.

The halls that made up the base seemed bigger, but much less daunting than Erik had anticipated. Possibly it was because of his own acknowledgement of how terrifying being both small and alone could be, but Erik suspected it was primarily because no one paid them any mind. Agents, both familiar and unfamiliar, wandered past them without so much as a second glance. In fact, unlike their train journey, no one stopped to comment at all.

Erik looked down at his hand, only then noticing that he and Raven were starting to pull Charles along a little.

“Charles?”

“Erik.”

“Are you hiding us?”

Charles looked up at him, his blue eyes peering earnestly at his friend. “Maybe a little nudge, nothing fancy. Most of them actually don’t care anyway.”

“You are aware that you can’t keep this up indefinitely?”

“Oh yes,” responded Charles, “I just thought it might be easier to face people we actually knew fresh, rather than having already answered the same questions a dozen times.”

“I called Moira and Hank,” put in Raven. “Warned them, so you won’t have to explain much. Hank might have questions, though, and Moira mentioned research.”

“I imagine Hank was quite excited,” observed Charles, easing them past another anonymous agent.

“You could say that,” replied Raven dryly. “He has a few ideas anyway, which is always a good start. Though he might need a blood sample or two, a few tests he needed to do to get a feel for it. I’ll let him explain.”

“As long as we’re clear that Charles and I are not about to be his lab rats,” put in Erik, glaring at Charles as his mouth opened to protest.

“Erik…”

“No, Charles,” insisted Erik. “Only what is strictly necessary.”

Naturally, realised Erik, they’d rounded a corner and got within Hank’s earshot just at the right moment for the scientist to hear that last part.

“Of course, I would never…” stammered Hank, reassuringly responding exactly as he would have if Erik had been glowering at him from 6ft off the ground instead of somewhere below 5.

“Make sure.” Erik wanted to make this point clear, not least because he thought otherwise Charles would probably agree to Hank’s smallest whim. Although, Erik decided, it probably was best to quit while he was ahead with the threatening nine year old act, before Hank realised just how ridiculous Erik looked.

Hank nodded then, most likely hoping to get away from Erik entirely, and turned to Charles. “I can’t believe how you look, Professor!” he exclaimed. “You’re really, truly, little!”

“Thank you, Hank,” answered Charles.

“Do you still have all your faculties intact? Any sign of reverting to childish behaviour?”

Charles glanced at Erik, then down at their still joined hands. “Well, mostly no, but there’s the odd thing. Being small can be, umm, intimidating sometimes.”

“Ah,” nodded Hank, quickly adding another, “ah,” before bending his lanky frame down to sit on the floor before Charles.

“I don’t think he meant you, Hank,” commented Erik, nonetheless faintly amused.

Charles shrugged. “Thank you, Hank, if nothing else it’s rather more comfortable in terms of height difference. Possibly not if you end up sitting on the floor for a long time though. Perhaps we should move this to Moira’s office? I assume she was waiting to see us? And she probably has chairs, a good solution all round.”

“Oh, yes, she was keen to see you,” agreed Hank, leaping up again and leading them down one, final, corridor. “She was a bit worried actually, I’m sure she’ll be very relieved to see you’re OK.”

<A very strange definition of OK,> projected Erik, noting with gratification that Charles struggled not to laugh aloud.

<She’s probably relieved you’re shrunk, my friend,> pointed out Charles, giving Erik a cheeky grin, before stepping into Moira’s office and being nearly smothered by an entirely unexpected hug.

                                                                                *********

Charles dug his keys out of his pocket and handed them to Raven, too tired to be bothered with stretching to reach the lock high on the door. Raven accepted them without comment and opened the door, quickly ushering him inside.

“Did Hank have any useful ideas?” she asked quietly, her mind flicking openly through all the tests and discussions she’d witnessed today.

Charles smiled wearily. “No, not really. Unprecedented, you see, it can be tricky to come up with any sort of hypothesis right away,” he leaned closer to his sister and whispered conspiratorially, “plus I don’t think it helped that Erik kept threatening him.”

“Probably not,” agreed Raven. “He was looking out for you though, Charles. Hank gets so preoccupied I think he forgets sometimes.”

“I know,” Charles agreed. “Erik’s a good man. Or boy. Whichever.” His hands waved around in explanation, though even that was dulled by exhaustion.

“Tomorrow, then,” said Raven, “we’ll figure it out.” She looked down at Charles appraisingly. “Let me help you with this, Charles.”

“I can manage,” protested Charles. “I have been dressing myself for a while now.”

“I know that!” Raven punched him lightly on the arm. “But maybe I want to, for all the times you looked after me?”

“Oh,” said Charles, looking up to catch her eye. It had been a long time since he’d tucked Raven in of course, when she was small and his Mother hadn’t really been interested in either of them. It had been a while since he and Raven had been that comfortable too. Recently, Charles knew they’d been struggling more than they used to. Maybe just letting Raven be in charge for a bit was all he needed to do – let her make the decisions. Right now it wasn’t as if he had the energy to spare for anything more complicated than cleaning his teeth anyway.

“That would be nice,” Charles finally responded, lifting his arms up so that Raven could remove his shirt, half unable to believe that he was letting her do this.

Raven beamed at him, her mind practically screaming warmth and affection for him that he hadn’t felt in longer than he cared to remember. Charles basked in it, almost like he was sunbathing at the beach on a warm day, purely in Raven’s happiness, it felt wonderful. “Thank you,” she said, not needing to say any more than that as she arranged his clothes neatly on a chair then carefully folded down his blankets for him.

Charles practically collapsed onto the bed, and let Raven pull the covers over him, his whole body still completely compliant from Raven’s affection. “You would have been a great big sister, Raven,” he yawned.

“I know,” she grinned at him again, patting the covers over his torso and moving to get up. “Goodnight, Charles. Shout me if you need anything,” she added, tapping the side of her head.

Without another word, Raven left the room, turning the light off as she went, leaving the room in complete darkness.

Charles was so relaxed and exhausted, he thought he’d drift off straight away, but instead as Raven left and her comforting emotions faded, he found his mind start to wander. Firstly, just looking round his room in the gloomy darkness, taking in the familiar bits and pieces he’d accumulated over the last few weeks, and how different everything seemed at the moment. Shrunk. It wasn’t just the size discrepancy though, it was more than that, it was truly strange experiencing being a child again.

He smiled, reminding himself of that very first morning when he’d told Erik it was all an experience, something to enjoy if possible. He didn’t need to feel embarrassed for letting Raven tuck him in, it all looked perfectly normal to everyone else anyway, the self-consciousness was all in his head. He could choose not to listen to it, it wasn’t as though he suffered particularly from self-consciousness normally.

In which case, Charles realised, right now he was feeling a little afraid of the dark. And, in fact, he didn’t need to suffer through it and feel ridiculous, because it was probably a perfectly explainable feature of being child sized that he could ask Hank about tomorrow. Maybe more sensitive eyes, or feeling more vulnerable generally. So if he didn’t need to suffer through it, he was going to do something about it.

Charles pushed back the covers and placed his bare feet on the ground, determinedly. He knew what he needed to do. Not even bothering to grab his keys, or even to close his door behind him, Charles walked out into the corridor and round the corner.

Erik’s room.

Erik wasn’t asleep either, Charles could feel his mind, too active in his room. Maybe he didn’t like the dark either, it was certainly possible, although the chances of Erik admitting that even under threat of torture didn’t seem high.

“Erik,” called Charles quietly, gently tapping on the – inevitably locked – door, hoping not to attract any attention from elsewhere.

“Erik!”

“Charles?” Erik sounded surprised. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, just let me in?”

The door unlocked itself audibly, though Erik clearly hadn’t moved, and Charles pushed it inwards just enough to enter, nudging it closed behind him once he was through.

Erik was sat up in bed, his body tired, but his brain clearly unwilling to sleep, just sitting there at an impasse.

“I…” Charles wasn’t sure what to say, but then he wasn’t sure he needed to. As Charles approached the bed, Erik flicked a finger at the door, clicking the lock again, then lay back on one side of the bed, his arm stretched out to Charles.

“It’s OK,” he said, as Charles climbed in slowly beside him, tucking his head against Erik’s shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

Raven strolled down the plain, boring, CIA corridor, humming. She couldn’t help it, last night she’d felt closer to Charles than she had done in years, his sudden downsizing the perfect opportunity to repair things between them, and to make a point about what it was like to be the younger sibling – the good and the bad. Hank had a few ideas, of course, it wasn’t going to last forever, but that was OK, Raven did want her own Charles back, and with any luck she’d still get a few more days with the little version first.

She rounded the corner, going quiet as she noticed Charles’ door wide open.

Reminding herself sternly that Charles was not exactly a child, and that he was in a very safe base full of people quite capable of protecting him, Raven managed not to dramatically drop the cereal she’d brought for him and carefully set it down on the small table before going into his room to investigate.

Charles wasn’t there. His bed was cold, so he hadn’t only just got up. Raven frowned, where would he go?

Of course, she realised, a knowing smile returning. They might not say so out loud, but the whole base knew where Charles would go. Big or little.

Raven retrieved the bowl of cereal, and closing the door behind her with a little tut at Charles, sauntered down the corridor in the opposite direction.

Charles opened his eyes slowly, wondering for a moment exactly where he was as he took in the small area of torso visible from his position resting against the accompanying shoulder. He was comfortable, and not at all worried about the dark – or anything else. It was nice. Still, he could really use the bathroom about now. Shifting round to get out of bed, reluctantly but as gently as he could manage, hoping not to wake Erik, Charles promptly fell out of bed and onto the floor with a loud “thump.”

“What was that?” A slightly worried voice came from outside – Raven Charles’ brain supplied.

<Nothing, just fell out of bed,> he called back to her in her head, not worrying that she’d known where to find him for the moment.

<Open the door, Charles,> she replied.

Charles slowly lifted himself off the hard floor, regretting that the CIA didn’t seem overly concerned with the need for carpeting, and glanced back at his still sleeping friend, only then pausing in his mission to open the door.

<Just a minute, Raven,> he called back, hoping she didn’t take that as a sign to panic.

Erik was big.

Charles looked down at his own body, suddenly recognising that the oversized shirt was no longer oversized, and that he was wearing nothing on his lower half at all.

“Charles!”

Raven didn’t sound like she wanted to wait.

<Raven I could really use a little privacy right now.>

<You’re in Erik’s room, I think it’s a little late for privacy!>

<Shh, Erik’s asleep.>

“Charles?” a lower voice suddenly interrupted their nearly silent conversation from the bed.

<He’s not asleep, I can hear him.>

<Yes, we’re just getting dressed.>

“Wait a minute, he didn’t sound like little Erik! What are you doing in there with big Erik when he’s asleep?”

<I…> Charles blinked, not really awake enough to deal with all the repercussions right now. <Just a minute, Raven!>

<Erik, could I perhaps borrow some trousers?> pleaded Charles. <I think Raven’s about to break in.>

“Charles,” said Erik patiently, “your sister is not going to break into my room. You are quite welcome to borrow trousers if you want to go and let her break into your room, if you like.”

“I… right, thanks,” acknowledged Charles, hunting round for a pair of Erik’s trousers that wouldn’t look too ridiculous on him. “Just a minute, Raven, I’ll be right out!”

“You’re big too?” shouted Raven, sounding slightly disappointed.

“Yes, apparently so,” admitted Charles. “I know you were enjoying playing big sister, Raven, but I think I’ve grown up.”

“Yeah, me too, Charles,” said Raven, to Charles’ confusion. “Enjoy your breakfast.”

Charles flinched to the sound of breaking crockery as he finally moved towards the door, thankfully too late to get a face full of milk.

“Oh,” he said, looking down at the mess on the floor, then over to Raven’s retreating back. “I think I may have said something wrong.”

“Charles, you’re an idiot,” said Erik, matter of factly. “Now get out of my room.”

Slightly hurt, and more bewildered on pretty much all fronts, before Charles could even move to exit the room, Moira appeared, her arms loaded with piles of paper.

“What is going on here?” she demanded, her original intent obviously put on hold.

“I’m really not sure,” said Charles, despondently, “but we’re full size.”

“Moira, do you mind?” complained Erik, glaring at her. “I would like the opportunity to get out of bed with just a little of my dignity still intact.”

“Fine, you two sort this out then,” she responded tersely.

Charles looked back at Erik, really more confused than ever, as Moira stalked away in the same direction as Raven, leaving the two men alone again.

“Out of my room, Charles,” glared Erik.

“What about the mess?”

“I’ll get it, get out!”

Stepping over the spilled cereal and broken pieces of bowl as carefully as possible in his bare feet, partially covered by Erik’s trousers, Charles padded back to his own room, alone.

                                                                                ***********

“Emma, you’ve done well,” Sebastian Shaw smiled approvingly at his stunning telepath, assessing once again everything she’d accomplished over the past few days as she moved along the pier to join him on his yacht, her white cloak flapping in the light, summery breeze. “I’m sure with a little more persuasion from our other companions, young Colin will be more than ready to join little Erik and his friends within a few days.”

Emma gave a small smile back, a delicately manicured eyebrow raised in question. “I’m sure he could be put to better use, Sebastian.”

“Nonsense Emma, when did you lose confidence in me? Poor little Erik Lehnsherr is going to need all the help he can get and, ever the generous benefactor, that is exactly what I’m about to provide.”

“You’re helping the enemy?” Emma sighed.

“The enemy? Erik and his friends are hardly the enemy! They’re mutants, just like us, merely a little misguided. I’m giving them the opportunity to correct their ways, I don’t want to annihilate them! What do you think I am, a monster?”

“I choose not to comment, Sugar,” drawled Emma.

“Don’t worry, my dear,” Shaw patted her on the shoulder. “Let them have their fun practicing rewinding time, and then when the time comes, I’ll give their new pet mutant a little Sebastian boost and they’ll get a whole lot more than they bargained for.”

“Such as? This is why you wanted to be the first to sneak into the boy’s dorm room?”

“Well, you saw what happened to Erik and his little telepath?” Shaw beamed benevolently at her, pride radiating out of every pore.

“I did,” Emma sighed again. “You did that? You want to start again with Erik?”

“Oh yes, and do it right this time, with his little buddy – both of them. Such power! Think of the possibilities.”

“You want a second telepath? I could feel undervalued,” pouted Emma, her hands settling on her hips.

Sebastian laughed, “I might enjoy that, but no – there’s no need to be jealous. The little telepath’s got nothing on you, he’s just insurance.”

“Ah. All about Erik.”

“Erik, of course. My finest creation, at my side again.”

Emma narrowed her eyes. “Interesting.”

Sebastian grinned smugly at her, swings his arms around to encompass their surroundings. “Always.”

                                                                                **********

Charles sank down on his bed, his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands, miserable and confused. How did he get from last night to this morning? How did he do so badly wrong? Surely, as a telepath, he ought to be good at keeping people happy enough with him.

But then it was never quite as simple as that, Charles knew.

Sighing, Charles swung his legs round and got back into bed, still dressed in Erik’s trousers and his once-loose T-shirt. Sleep seemed to be the best option, he could try to work out what had gone wrong later, and in the meantime he’d give everyone a little time to cool down.

He was asleep by the time the door opened again.

Raven slowly pushed the door open, silently entering the room with Erik close on her heels and Moira hovering in the corridor.

“Charles?” she whispered, looking round the darkened room, beginning to wonder where he’d got to.

“Charles?” she repeated.

Erik tapped her on the shoulder, gesturing to the sleeping figure on the bed, guilt flickering across his face.

“Oh, Charles.” Raven knelt down by the bed, her hands resting against Charles’s arm in an echo of the previous night. “We’ve been looking all over the place for you. I’m sorry I reacted so badly, I know it must have been a shock.”

Erik raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment.

Somehow, apologising was easier when Charles was still asleep.

Raven shuffled slightly closer to the bed, stroking Charles’ hair away from his face and taking a moment to remind herself that, even though she had been really enjoying her big sister time with mini Charles, she really did love her big brother. He was a good man, despite the annoying faults. She was about to reach for him properly when she noticed an odd slippery sensation on the floor and realised that her knees were slightly wet. She looked down, still slightly amazed that Charles had yet to wake, there, streaked across her knees, was a small puddle of blood.

“Erik!” hissed Raven, moving away from Charles and standing to show Erik the state of her knees. “Where is that coming from?”

Less concerned with disturbing Charles than Raven, Erik flicked the light switch with his power, revealing a series of drops of blood going from the floor and onto the bed. “His feet,” said Erik. “He probably stood on something outside my room and didn’t notice.” Erik let out an exasperated sigh. “Honestly, he has no sense of self-preservation.”

Raven chuckled, despite herself. “You have no idea,” she added, thinking back into their shared past, images of a genuinely younger Charles in various states of injury flickering through her mind. “Charles?” This time she reached out and shook him properly.

“Raven?” groaned Charles. “What..? Oh, Raven!” Charles blinked slowly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t put things very well this morning.”

“It’s OK, Charles,” said Raven, “I guess you’d only just realised yourself, hadn’t you?”

“Well, yes. I was small when I went into Erik’s room.”

“You’re still small,” put in Erik, smirking at him.

“Hmm,” responded Charles. “Name calling?”

“Erik, you’re not helping,” Raven glared at him, before turning back to Charles, all business, ready to look at his foot.

“Charles, you’re bleeding, sit up.” Raven manoeuvred the injured foot out from under the covers as soon as Charles sat up, quickly finding the cut and removing a sliver of cereal dish embedded in it. “I am sorry, Charles,” she added again, showing him the bloodied piece of crockery as he winced.

Charles, struck by Raven’s take charge attitude, smiled. “Still taking care of me anyway, Raven,” he pointed out. “When it’s my turn I’ll try to behave,” he added.

“Good,” she said, enveloping Charles in a hug, before standing and moving back towards the door, just as quickly as she’d arrived. “Now, you two sort things out. Moira’s threatening to leave a guard on your door until you do, although it’s possible she’s just grouchy because she stayed up all night doing unnecessary research for you!”

“I heard that,” called Moira from outside, nonetheless evidently waiting for Raven to join her before closing the door on the two men and disappearing down the corridor, giggling judging by the strange sounds coming through the door as they left.

“You’re still an idiot,” said Erik, gesturing at Charles’ foot, before handing him a plaster to cover it from a small pile of medical supplies.

“Thanks,” said Charles. “Was there some purpose to this? I’m sure we can convince Moira that you kicking me out of your room is entirely normal.”

“I’m sure we could,” grinned Erik. “It’s not though, Charles, I’d like to apologise. Although,” he added, “I would point out that the desire to get dressed without half the base watching me is not likely to change.”

“Right, sorry,” said Charles, his fingers playing with the edge of the blanket and taking up the majority of his attention. “I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

“Until you’re shrunk again? It was, interesting, seeing you child sized.” Charles could feel Erik’s thoughts analysing the experience with a certain fondness.

“And being a child yourself?” pushed Charles, knowing that Erik would never volunteer that information.

“It had its moments,” admitted Erik, grudgingly. “My feet didn’t fall off the end of the bed.”

“Always an advantage,” nodded Charles, glancing at the bottom of his bed, and then at Erik’s feet, feeling oddly sorry for them. “Thank you for looking out for me, too,” he added, slightly embarrassed despite his previous decision not to worry about such things.

“Of course, anytime,” said Erik with certainty. “And Charles,” he leaned over to whisper, “you really were adorable.”

Charles blushed, unable to look Erik in the eye again for several moments.

“Let’s have a few contingency plans in place for the next trip though.”

“In case of shrinking? Unexpected gender swap, sudden transformation into puppies, that sort of thing?” asked Charles, enjoying their moment of silliness, however realistic it could turn out to be. “We’ll be fine.”

Erik smiled back, any witty response dying on his lips as the door opened once again after the briefest of knocks.

“Professor?”

“Hank? What’s the matter?”

“We need you right away, both of you. Your mutant’s here!”

“Colin came?” asked Charles, astonished.

“Yes, Professor,” he’s in the foyer with Moira, responded Hank, before disappearing back through the door again.

Charles and Erik exchanged a look. “Shall we?” said Erik, reaching his hand out to grab Charles’ and tug him up from the bed.

“Of course, anytime my friend.”


End file.
